Less than two years ago, your union and Royal Mail Group signed off on the Four Pillars agreement, which was a shared vision for the future. The CWU remain committed to that vision, but RMG continually demonstrate that they have abandoned the mutual interest approach the agreement enshrined.

As a result, commitments made to the union and you our members have been dropped and the company are attempting to rewrite history. They have simply walked away from our agreement.

They have told you they cannot aff ord the agreed reductions and fl ightpath to a 35-hour working week. They are not interested in fulfi lling the agreement to work with your union in relation to future strategy and to jointly agree a vision and plan for a redesigned operational pipeline.

These issues directly aff ect our members across all functions.

The company have refused to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve this dispute.

To enable proper negotiations and to work through future plans together, the CWU off ered a period of calm.

But, despite their public pronouncements, Senior RMG management have refused, time and time again to engage on anything other than their terms.

In return for the off er of a period of calm, your employer has embarked on an unprecedented programme of executive action to introduce unagreed changes – changes that have the potential to impact severely on jobs, job security, earnings, and terms and conditions.

These actions are driving the worsening and increasingly toxic workplace culture across the business. Make no mistake, we are under attack from a board who clearly no longer share our vision for the future.

It is vital that we continue to defend the principle of mutual interest and of moving forward on the basis of agreement, rather than management diktat.

Dear Colleagues,

VOTE YESA MESSAGE TO PROCESSING MEMBERS FROM DAVIE ROBERTSON

VOTE YESVOTE YESVOTEA MESSAGE TO PROCESSING MEMBERS FROM DAVIE ROBERTSON

The flight path to the Shorter Working Week is a key element of the Four Pillars. The first hour of the Shorter Working Week was introduced in October 2018 with the second hour reduction being due in October 2019 as part of your 2019 pay settlement. You are entitled to that benefit and the flight path to further reductions is key to protecting jobs in the future.

The operational pipeline needs to change to enable the company to develop existing and new products and services to meet the changing demands of customers. However, we also have to ensure that the future of the company works for the benefit of our members and the services you provide to the public.

Your union does not face away from change, we never have.

That is why there was a firm written and signed-off pledge agreed by both sides in the Four Pillars agreement to jointly shape the future pipeline and operation. It is the company who have walked away from this and unveiled their own plans, which they are now seeking to implement without agreement.

The operational pipeline needs to evolve, but your union does not believe that the company’s current plan, based solely on parcels and untested planning assumptions, is in the best interest of you or the company.

Any revised Pipeline which may include parcel hubs must also protect the current mail centre/RDC estate, promote the use of letters as a medium, support the six-day USO and fulfil the Four Pillars commitments to maximise connectivity across all product streams with core deliveries. To remain competitive, our commitment was to a 7am until 7pm Delivery window for all products, not a strategy to push everything later in the day.

Technology and automation are realities and your union fully recognises this, however, they should only be introduced where they support and assist you in your working day, not as means to monitor people or micro-manage performance. Any deployment should be through agreement, not a non-negotiable company plan.

The business is currently attempting to deploy Automated Hours Data Capture (AHDC) and Resource Scheduler by executive action, despite written agreements that these tools would not be introduced unilaterally. We do not share the company’s vision for these technologies and will oppose moves to restrict the union’s ability to negotiate on your behalf in the workplace or introduce a ‘task-and-attendance’ style of esourcing model.

Executive action, in various forms, is taking place across the country and a substantial number of ballot requests have already been received and are being processed. The imposition of change without agreement is an attack on you and your colleagues and the hard-won agreements designed to protect you. It is clear that the company is attempting to change its relationship with the CWU from one that involves negotiation and agreement to a consultation-only approach.

Your union will fight any such change. This is a glimpse of the future unless we stand united in resisting such attacks. If this is allowed to happen at one site unchallenged, it will happen at more.

Next time it could be your workplace and job that is under attack.

It is vital that we continue to defend the principle of mutual benefit and of moving forward on the basis of agreement, rather than management diktat.

Please VOTE YES: To tell the company that through your union you have earned a say in your future and to show the company that you are willing to stand together and fight for it.

Yours sincerely, Davie RobertsonAssistant Secretary

The Broken Promises

Headquarters: 150 The Broadway | Wimbledon | SW19 1RX T: 020 8971 7200 | E: info@cwu.org | F: 020 8971 7300| www.cwu.org | General Secretary: Dave Ward

06408 Published by The Communication Workers Union 2020